Don't have an account?

Favorite Schools

Favorite Teams

Is Matt Harvey of the New York Mets the next Tom Seaver? Cast a vote in our poll!

matt-harvey.jpg

Many in the baseball world have been drawing comparisons to New York Mets' starter Matt Harvey and former Met great Tom Seaver. Do you see it, too? Leave a comment below and cast a vote in our poll!
(Associated Press)

Everytime I watch Matt Harvey pitch for the New York Mets I see Tom Seaver.

Now, 13 starts into his Major League Baseball career, I'm not going to claim Harvey will win 300 games or lead the league in strikeouts year after year, but so far it looks that way.

In 2013, Harvey is off to a 3-0 start with an .0.82 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 22 innings. He's tossed a one-hitter, two-hitter and three-hitter in his starts behind a rising 96-mile per hour fastball and a good curve and changeup.

In doing so, Harvey became just the third pitcher since 1945 to start the season with three consecutive starts of three or fewer hits allowed in seven-plus innings. The others were Nolan Ryan, who threw seven no-hitters, and little-known Jim Rooker.

In 2012, he went 3-5 and posted a 2.21 ERA on a bad New York Mets' team.

His numbers are quite comparable to when Seaver came up (Tom Terrific was 16-13 in his first season with the Mets in 1967), but it's his heart and determination and calming effect in the clubhouse that are drawing more comparisons to Seaver than anything else.

Take for instance when he took a no-hitter into the seventh inning in his last start against the Twins on Saturday. He wound up allowing only two hits on the day and he walked two batters and later on said there was still room for improvement.

Also, WFAN's Howie Rose, who covers the Mets, said he now notices an aura when Harvey takes the mound, much like the feeling surrounding the team every time Seaver pitched.

Harvey got another boost of confidence when former great Met hurler Dwight Gooden tweeted that Harvey "is the real."

Now, Harvey has a ways to go to become the next Tom Seaver or Dwight Gooden for that matter, and no doubt longevity and the lack of injuries will play a major roll, but at least for now Met fans can hang their hats on something and always count down the days to Harvey's next start in anticipation of something great to happen.

Much like they they did when Seaver hurled for the Mets in the late 1906s and 1970s.

***Do you you agree with Joe D'Amodio's assessment or think he's crazy? Leave a comment below and cast a vote in our poll!